The present invention relates generally to an electrical connector and, more particularly, to a connector in which the contacts therein carry electrical circuit components.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,670,292 to Tracy discloses a filter connector in which filter contacts are mounted in openings in a metallic ground foil which makes electrical connection between the filters on the contacts and the shell of the connector. The filter element on each contact is of cylindrical form, and surrounds the contact body.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,790,858 to Brancaleone et al. discloses an electrical connector in which electrical circuit components, such as magnetic pulse absorbers or radio frequency filter elements, are integrated into an electrical connector by mounting the same within a grounding plate in the shell of the connector spaced from insulated contacts which extend through openings in the plate. Conductors of the circuit components are connected to selected electrical contacts in the connector by means of a printed circuit board which is removably mounted in the shell of the connector.
Copending application of G. R. Nieman et al. entitled "Electrical Connector Embodying Electrical Circuit Components," Ser. No. 480,169, filed Mar. 29, 1983, assigned to the same assignee as the present application, discloses an electrical connector member in which one or more electrical circuit components are mounted on the side of each contact, rather than surrounding the contact body as in prior art filter connectors, such as disclosed in the aforementioned Tracy et al. patent. The components may be a bipolar diode for transient suppression and a capacitor for filtering. The components are mounted in a notch formed in the side of the contact body. Electrical connection is made between the components and a relatively thick ground plate in the connector shell by means of a spring element mounted on the components. Such connector utilizes fewer parts, is less expensive to manufacture, and may be made smaller in size for permitting a very high density arrangement of the contacts as compared to the connector disclosed in the aforementioned Brancaleone et al. patent incorporating pulse absorbers and filter elements.
While the Nieman et al. connector is entirely satisfactory, it would be desirable to further reduce the number of parts and cost of manufacture of the connector. Furthermore, since the spring elements that provide electrical connection between the electronic components on the contacts and the ground plate are mounted on the contacts, by necessity the spring elements must protrude beyond the outer surface of the contact bodies. As a consequence, it is possible that the spring elements may become snagged or damaged during handling of the contacts before they are inserted into the connector body.
It is the object of the present invention to provide a connector similar to that disclosed in the Nieman et al. patent which has fewer parts, is less expensive to manufacture, and avoids the use of exposed spring elements mounted on the contacts.